This guide collects everything a Shopify merchant needs to turn WhatsApp into a measurable revenue channel — from the first documented opt-in to automated post-purchase flows. Each chapter stands on its own, and the order is the order the work actually arrives in a shop.
The short version
- Permission first: without a documented opt-in there is no list you can later stand behind. Meta requires consent before the first message, naming the business that collected it (Meta for Developers, retrieved 2026-09-07).
- Then reach: the phone number at checkout is the biggest single lever, because it is collected where every order already passes.
- Automation last: flows triggered by Shopify events keep running, while campaigns stay one-offs.
In this guide
- Getting started with KeazWhat Keaz does — and the role WhatsApp takes alongside email in commerce.
- Building your first opt-in flowCollect WhatsApp consent at checkout and store it so you can show it later.
- Automating post-purchase flowsOrder updates, cross-sell, and review requests on autopilot.
How to use this guide
Each chapter below is a standalone article. Read them in order for the full playbook, or jump straight to the topic you need.
Two things underpin every chapter. First, collect consent so you can show it later — WhatsApp Opt-in: How to Collect Subscribers the GDPR-Compliant Way covers the mechanics. Second, Keaz needs a connection to your shop before any flow can fire; the Shopify integration and the Collect Phone Numbers After Checkout widget walk through the setup.
The features overview shows what sits behind them; the rules Meta sets — templates, categories, sending limits — are collected with source and retrieval date on the WhatsApp facts page.
New chapters are added as we publish them. If you take one thing away: WhatsApp does not replace your email programme, it takes over the messages that have to be read immediately — and it depends on the permission for that being collected and stored properly.
Before you build anything, one number is worth having: how much of your customer base is reachable on WhatsApp, and what that is worth per month. Calculate your Forecast — a few minutes, no code. How the numbers are produced is set out in the Forecast methodology.
Nils Spölgen
Founder at Keaz. Serial founder in chat marketing — built a local agency into Keaz, the WhatsApp marketing platform for Shopify. Bootstrapped the MVP, raised funding, and scaled to 200+ merchants in DACH. Writes about flows, opt-in & GDPR, Klaviyo, and realistic revenue benchmarks — prefers conservative math over impressive claims. View profile